科学界 (kē xué jiè) — scientific circles; the scientific community

Definition

noun
scientific circlesthe scientific community

Examples

  • 科学界
    Zhè wèi jiào shòu zài kē xué jiè xiǎng yǒu hěn gāo de shēng yù.
    This professor enjoys a high reputation in scientific circles.
  • 科学界
    kē xué jiè Zhèng zài jiù qì hòu biàn huà wèn tí jìn xíng guǎng fàn tǎo lùn.
    The scientific community is having extensive discussions on climate change.
  • 科学界
    Tā de yán jiū chéng guǒ dé dào le kē xué jiè de rèn kě.
    His research results have been recognized by the scientific community.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

科学science
branch/subjectxuéstudy/learning
偏正Modifier + head
jiècircle/field

“科学” means science and “界” means circle, so it denotes the scientific community.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
dòumeasuring tool
Sound part声符shēngfú
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

科 pairs 禾, which gives the hé sound, with 斗, a measuring tool.

Open 科 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 學; 学 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 學 may have used 爻 and 六 for sound, with hands and a child added later; the simplified 学 is a shorthand.

Open 学 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
tiánfield
Sound part声符shēngfú
jièjiè
Same sound today

界 is built from 田 (field) and 介. 田 carries the meaning, while 介 gives the sound.

Open 界 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.